This report compares the Child Welfare Services (CWS) budget
of
Active Cases: all
children who had an open investigation in the Emergency Response category, or
an open case in the remaining three categories of Family Maintenance, Family
Reunification or Permanency Planning. Active cases do not include children who
were referred but whose situation did not meet the criteria for investigation.
In other words, they were “evaluated out.” Emergency Response, Family
Maintenance, Family Reunification and Permanency Planning are industry-standard
categories set up by the State of
Overmatch: the
portion of the total CWS budget for any county contributed solely by that
county that is above 30 percent of the minimum total CWS budget established for
that county by the State of
In
The Santa Cruz County CWS budget, like that of other
counties, has suffered because of funding shortages. This investigation
examined how
The Grand Jury requested data from seven counties whose demographics
are considered to be similar to those of
This investigation examined five aspects of the
· the annual total budget for Santa Cruz County CWS
· the county share of the annual budget for Santa Cruz County CWS
· the number of active cases per year for Santa Cruz County CWS
· how the total budget dollars compare to those of other counties
· how the county share budget dollars compare to those of other counties
CASA of
Marin County Adult and Children’s
Social Services.
Napa County Children’s Behavioral
Health.
San Mateo County Health Services
Agency.
Santa Clara County Family and
Children’s Services.
Santa Cruz County Human Resources
Agency personnel.
Santa Cruz County Personnel
Department.
Sonoma County Human Services
Department.
California Quick Facts, from U.S. Census Bureau web site, http://quickfacts.census.gov.
Child Welfare
Services Reports for
Child Welfare
Services, Self-Assessment,
Child Welfare Services, System Improvement Plan, 2004.
1.
The State of
· number of children served;
· cost to employ qualified social workers (as determined by the state); and
· state ratios for number of social workers to children in need of services.
Of this minimum required budget, the state contributes 70 percent and mandates that counties contribute 30 percent as a county share of the total CWS budget. Monies contributed by counties to their CWS budgets above the minimum required share are supplemented by other monies from state and federal sources. The resulting increased budget may not reflect the 70:30 budget contribution ratio.
Response:
2. Some counties supplement their CWS budget with additional state, federal and other monies. Santa Cruz County CWS has been able to access some of these funds.
Response:
3.
In 2002-2003,
Response:
4. CWS budgets, county shares of these budgets, number of active cases and budget-to-child ratios vary from county to county.
|
|
Fiscal Year 2002-2003 |
Fiscal Year 2003-2004 |
Population: 251,584
|
|
|
|
Number of Active Cases |
687 |
809 |
|
Total CWS Budget |
$8,246,650 |
$9,002,816 |
|
|
$1,538,957 |
$1,497,975 |
|
Total Budget Per Child |
$12,004 |
$11,128 |
|
|
$2,240 |
$1,852 |
Population: 246, 073
|
|
|
|
Number of Active Cases |
470 |
391 |
|
Total CWS Budget |
$3,917,501 |
$4,778,564 |
|
|
$701,473 |
$967,956 |
|
Total Budget Per Child |
$8,335 |
$12,221 |
|
|
$1,493 |
$2,476 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Population: 1,678,421 |
|
|
|
Number of Active Cases |
5,638 |
5,242 |
|
Total CWS Budget |
$202,603,417 |
$214,665,827 |
|
|
$56,017,081 |
$52,586,883 |
|
Total Budget Per Child |
$35,936 |
$40,951 |
|
|
$9,936 |
$10,032 |
|
|
|
|
Population: 697,456 |
|
|
|
Number of Active Cases |
1,175 |
1,216 |
|
Total CWS Budget |
$29,555,012 |
$31,736,859 |
|
|
$5,346,921 |
$7,453,884 |
|
Total Budget Per Child |
$25,153 |
$26,099 |
|
|
$4,551 |
$6,130 |
Population: 131,607 |
|
|
|
Number of Active Cases |
251 |
227 |
|
Total CWS Budget |
$8,523,987 |
$8,275,200 |
|
|
$779,255 |
$820,399 |
|
Total Budget Per Child |
$33,960 |
$36,455 |
|
|
$3,105 |
$3,614 |
Note: The total CWS budget number
includes the 30 percent county share of the minimum budget, the 70 percent
state share of the minimum budget and all additional county, state, federal and
other dollars contributed to the CWS budget regardless of source.
The
populations of each county are 2003 US Census Bureau estimates.[1]
Table 1: Child
Welfare Services Dollars Per Child Comparison.
Response:
In comparing the
budgets across counties, it is important to keep in mind that there is
significant variation from county to county in the amount of revenue available
from taxes, fees and other county-specific sources to supplement the state’s
allocation for CWS.
5. The Grand Jury also researched information from the UC Berkeley “Point in Time” studies found on the UC Berkeley web site. This information, although very thorough in reporting data by children’s ages, caseloads of social workers and numbers of children in each category, is derived from the data of a single given day for each quarter.[2]
1.
The
2. For fiscal year 2002-2003, Santa Cruz County CWS had significantly less total money budgeted than three of the four counties studied and more budgeted than the fourth county in comparison to the number of active cases.
3. For fiscal year 2003-2004, Santa Cruz County CWS had less total money budgeted than the four counties in comparison to the number of active cases.
4. For fiscal year 2002-2003, Santa Cruz County CWS had less county share money budgeted than three of the four counties studied and more budgeted than the fourth county in comparison to the number of active cases.
5. For fiscal year 2003-2004, Santa Cruz County CWS had less county share money budgeted than the four counties in comparison to the number of active cases.
6. Compared to other counties, Santa Cruz County CWS has less funds available to serve an increasing number of active cases.
7. The UC Berkeley “Point in Time” studies do not reflect an annualized number of children served which the Grand Jury believes were needed for this budget analysis.
1.
Santa Cruz County Human Resources Agency personnel,
along with the Board of Supervisors, should be commended for overmatching the
required share of the
Response:
The County appreciates
and concurs with the Grand Jury’s commendation.
2.
The
Response:
The recommendation has
been implemented. The HRA budget approved by the Board of Supervisors in June
2005 provided for the addition of five new social work positions, a social work
supervisor, and a program manager to the Family and Children’s Services
Division. HRA, in collaboration with public and private agency partners,
regularly explores various options for obtaining additional money to supplement
CWS funds. For example, in FY 2004/05, HRA collaborated with the Health
Services Agency Alcohol and Drug Program to apply successfully for
approximately $100,000 of state funds to operate a
Entity |
Findings |
Recommendations |
Respond Within |
|
|
1-4 |
1, 2 |
60 Days ( |
|
Santa Cruz County Human Resources Agency |
1-4 |
1, 2 |
90 Days ( |
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